Looks like they have closed the restaurant, but are going into catering.

Thank you for all the great
years @ our location!
We're launching our services
exclusively available via catering!

For catering information
or to order catering
call Bill Brazil direct @ 405.361.3642

Catering site currently under construction.

We went there a couple weekends ago before we saw The Color Purple because we wanted brunch, and the lights were on and music was playing, but doors were locked, telephone was disconnected, and there was no notice at all posted on the door. The inner door was ajar and we almost called the police to come check it out because it all seemed a little creepy.

It's a good thing they gave a little heads-up. It was quite off-putting and kind of a tacky way to treat repeat customers.

No big loss, there are much better Italian places out there (such as Vito's just down the street).

No big loss, there are much better Italian places out there (such as Vito's just down the street).
I never tried Sophabella's, but Vito's is absurd. I ate there once and will not recommend it.

Lot's of good Italian options remain: Gabriella's, Patrono, Stella and I've heard good things about Papa Dio's.

I'm a big fan of Rococo on Penn.

I never tried Sophabella's, but Vito's is absurd. I ate there once and will not recommend it.

Why?

Why?

I’m curious as well. Been to Vito’s a few times now and really enjoyed all our visits. Owner of Vito’s was a super sweet lady as well. Although we only been to Papa Dio’s once, we really liked them; need to make it back up there soon.

Lot's of good Italian options remain: Gabriella's, Patrono, Stella and I've heard good things about Papa Dio's.

I'm a big fan of Rococo on Penn.

Been to all of them and they're all way better than Sophabella, with the exception of Papa Dio's. Ate there once recently and it just wasn't up to what it used to be, and the way the place is laid out now isn't that great (bar's too big for the space, just clunky). However, we'll always have a soft spot for it since it's where we met on our first date after I placed a personal ad in the Gazette about 25 years ago.

Need to try Rococo on Penn, really liked the Northpark one, but haven't been to the Penn one yet.

Need to try Rococo on Penn, really liked the Northpark one, but haven't been to the Penn one yet.

Please give them your business as it's one of the few nice restaurants in the area.

Also, they have a great bar with a good happy hour.

Please give them your business as it's one of the few nice restaurants in the area.

Also, they have a great bar with a good happy hour.

Oh, it's definitely on our list, we intend to go, but since we generally only eat out on Sat afternoons or before/after a play/concert/exhibit, their hours (open at 5 on Sat)/location (not near or on the way to/from any concert venues/museums/etc.) just don't quite match ours, so we need to just fit it in with all the other restaurants on our list to try, currently at almost 100. :)

Why?
The meal had issues that weren't dealt with, there was a very disruptive couple that was allowed to do whatever they wanted, and the service was poor. When I tried to speak with the lady socializing with customers, I was ignored.

The meal had issues that weren't dealt with, there was a very disruptive couple that was allowed to do whatever they wanted, and the service was poor. When I tried to speak with the lady socializing with customers, I was ignored.

Interesting, thanks for the details, completely opposite of our experience there.

Not terribly surprised about Sophabellas. I feel like there's a growing trend in turnover on these older establishments that maybe had a good run but as their clientele base got older they maybe weren't doing enough to get new customers in (or just are victims of changing tastes)

The one and only time we went to Papa Dio's (3 or 4 years ago now) we were pretty disappointed. Don't know if it was just our specific menu selections, but everything tasted like it was out of a can or previously frozen.

Have always had good experiences at Vito's, sorry to hear about your bad one. We need to get back there and support it, since Cathy Cummings is one of our Village city council members.

Agree on common sentiments about Gabriella's, Patrono and Stella. Good eating!

Interesting, thanks for the details, completely opposite of our experience there.
I agree. I have been to Vito's a lot... small group, big group... never had a bad experience. Food is very good, but not fantastic, but the service and attentiveness has always been great.

Just my opinion, but there isn't a truly outstanding Italian restaurant in the OKC area. Many are good, just none great. Would love to see a really good northern Italian cuisine spot here.

Just my opinion, but there isn't a truly outstanding Italian restaurant in the OKC area. Many are good, just none great. Would love to see a really good northern Italian cuisine spot here.

Have you tried Patrono lately? They have a new chef in Jonathan Krell and have always really cared about food.

I think it's pretty darn good.

Just my opinion, but there isn't a truly outstanding Italian restaurant in the OKC area. Many are good, just none great. Would love to see a really good northern Italian cuisine spot here.

Have you tried the Roast Beef Pappardelle at Gabriella's?

Have you tried Patrono lately? They have a new chef in Jonathan Krell and have always really cared about food.

I think it's pretty darn good.

Agreed about Patrono, although we haven't been since the new chef started, but it's pretty amazing.

I need to try patrono. I'm glad vitos still exists. I drove in the area and didn't see it.

I had this sausage and peppers dish last time I was at Garbriella's and loved it.

The menu is heavy so if you want something different, try Patrono.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sausageandpeppersgab.jpg

Have you tried Patrono lately? They have a new chef in Jonathan Krell and have always really cared about food.

I think it's pretty darn good.
I haven't been in a few months. Went a number of times and was not overly impressed. Glad to hear they improved, so will give it a go again.

Still haven't seen northern Italian cuisine around here, just southern with some neuvo adaptations. Anybody know of anybody serving more northern dishes?

Still haven't seen northern Italian cuisine around here, just southern with some neuvo adaptations. Anybody know of anybody serving more northern dishes?

Yes... The roast beef pappardelle I mentioned above.

Yes... The roast beef pappardelle I mentioned above.

My oh my that looks good. Making a note to try that on my next visit.

My oh my that looks good. Making a note to try that on my next visit.

Definitely a cold weather, stick to your ribs, kind of dish.

Yes... The roast beef pappardelle I mentioned above.

I understand that there are a few dishes served, but no one has much of an offering of northern, and it is much different than what we often think of as Italian here. Not sure the origin of roast beef pappardelle, but it is more southern in style, or central.

Northern is more beef, veal, more fish, more grilled vegetables, more polenta, much less pasta, light creme sauces, more butter, different spicing, etc. It has more continental and delicate flavoring and ingredients and not as much stick to the ribs pastas and sauces. Typically, northern was influenced by Swiss and French and more expensive ingredients than in the south, which was poorer and more robust.

If there is someone here specializing it it, I am not aware and would love to know. I had an office in Milan for a few years and got to love the northern even better than the southern.

I understand that there are a few dishes served, but no one has much of an offering of northern, and it is much different than what we often think of as Italian here. Not sure the origin of roast beef pappardelle, but it is more southern in style, or central.

Northern is more beef, veal, more fish, more grilled vegetables, more polenta, much less pasta, light creme sauces, more butter, different spicing, etc. It has more continental and delicate flavoring and ingredients and not as much stick to the ribs pastas and sauces. Typically, northern was influence by Swiss and French and more expensive ingredients than in the south, which was poorer and more robust.

If there is someone here specializing it it, I am not aware and would love to know. I had an office in Milan for a few years and got to love the northern even better than the southern.

The Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy is also known for it's egg noodles and filled pasta dishes as well as their use of meat products over seafood.

Not sure what you are trying to say....we have northern Italian here because we have pasta with meat sauce?
Just know what was common in the area I worked and I haven’t found it here. Not trying to debate. If our italian restaurants here feature north Italian cuisine, then I stand corrected.

If there is someone here specializing it it, I am not aware and would love to know.

Try this place:

https://www.olivegarden.com/home

I'm pretty sure they were voted one of the top 5 Italian restaurants in the city in the last newsok slide show deal.

Not sure what you are trying to say....we have northern Italian here because we have pasta with meat sauce?
Just know what was common in the area I worked and I haven’t found it here. Not trying to debate. If our italian restaurants here feature north Italian cuisine, then I stand corrected.

I'm trying to say that Emilia-Romagna region is in Northern Italy and this dish uses ingredients that region is known for... Can't make it any plainer than that.

You don't have to go try it but you asked if anyone served Northern Italian and I offered an option.

Try this place:

https://www.olivegarden.com/home

I'm pretty sure they were voted one of the top 5 Italian restaurants in the city in the last newsok slide show deal.

For the Win!

Try this place:

https://www.olivegarden.com/home

I'm pretty sure they were voted one of the top 5 Italian restaurants in the city in the last newsok slide show deal.
Nice!!! ��
And I was afraid we didn’t know real Italian fare here.

Just happy to help

Really, though, Olive Garden had amazing spaghetti years and years ago. It was made in house, never fully dried, and it had a nice texture from the copper die, which allowed it to hold sauce well.

in high school (in a different state) i knew some folks that worked at olive garden and they claimed the manager could pass a napkin up one nostril and out the other due to the amount of cocaine he partook of. so that's my back in the day olive garden story.

I used to work at OPUBCo and a majority of the Reader's Choice Awards were bought and paid for by the businesses themselves. It was always a "Pay To Play" set up for the entire award process. I didn't think it was true that first, but after working there for a couple of years and learning how the process worked it was pretty annoying. I almost lost a big advertising client over it because he ran a legit campaign for a specific category, but was going head to head with a business that spend close to $500k in advertising each year and always "Won" it. So to make my client happy, so they wouldn't loss his business they gave them a Reader's Choice Winner for some dumb category they didn't even want.

Saw today that the Sophabellas sign is up across from the Sonic at May and Somerset Pl (between Grand and Wilshire).

Is Sophabella's coming back then?

Is Sophabella's coming back then?

I heard at one time they were going to open a catering business, not a restaurant.

I used to work at OPUBCo and a majority of the Reader's Choice Awards were bought and paid for by the businesses themselves. It was always a "Pay To Play" set up for the entire award process. I didn't think it was true that first, but after working there for a couple of years and learning how the process worked it was pretty annoying. I almost lost a big advertising client over it because he ran a legit campaign for a specific category, but was going head to head with a business that spend close to $500k in advertising each year and always "Won" it. So to make my client happy, so they wouldn't loss his business they gave them a Reader's Choice Winner for some dumb category they didn't even want.
So, are you saying the votes weren’t actually cast, or that OPUBCO ignored the votes and fraudulently reported as a favor to those who bribed someone there? Or are you saying advertising influenced people’s opinions in favor of those who advertise more (who’d have thought that works, right? You are in advertising, huh?)

I noticed a long time ago that businesses that didn't advertise in the DO weren't even on the ballot. Then, when we started going to Mediterranean restaurants and Zorba's kept winning - even over Mediterranean Deli! - when there are any number of other places serving food more tasty, I quit even looking at Readers' Choice, either in the paper or the logo stuck on the door of the restaurant in question. I did, however, start seeking out the smaller mom-n-pop places to frequent. That's how I found Jerusalem Mediterranean and never looked back.

I noticed a long time ago that businesses that didn't advertise in the DO weren't even on the ballot. Then, when we started going to Mediterranean restaurants and Zorba's kept winning - even over Mediterranean Deli! - when there are any number of other places serving food more tasty, I quit even looking at Readers' Choice, either in the paper or the logo stuck on the door of the restaurant in question. I did, however, start seeking out the smaller mom-n-pop places to frequent. That's how I found Jerusalem Mediterranean and never looked back.
There are plenty in the survey that don’t advertise. That’s just a silly claim.
I love Jerusalem too, but way more people go to Zorbas and I’m sure that’s why they get more votes. It’s a popularity survey, not a food junkies rating system.

Oh yea, just maybe advertising works too. Maybe they get more people to go and vote because they actually promote. That’s mind boggling.

You know what, some advertise in the Gazette and they get good reviews in the Gazette. Guess that’s rigged too.